Immunisation remains every child’s fundamental right — UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Wednesday, stated that immunisation is an essential right of every Nigerian child in preventing life-threatening diseases and infections.

Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of the UNICEF Field Office for Southwest Nigeria, said this while delivering her opening remarks at a two-day media dialogue on routine immunisation at Patron, Lagos.

The media dialogue was themed: “A Media Dialogue to Enhance Routine Immunisation and to Reduce Zero-Dose Children.”

Lafoucriere noted that 2.3 million children in Nigeria have yet to receive any vaccines.

“We still have a very pressing challenge in Nigeria where 2.3 million children have received no vaccines at all.

“These are called the zero-dose children and are mostly in marginalised areas, hard-to-reach areas, and vaccines remain essential to their health.

“Vaccines are an essential fundamental right for every child, and they remain fundamental to improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities,” she said.

Lafoucriere, however, said that to address this challenge, UNICEF, in partnership with the government and other partners, has prioritised areas with the highest concentration of zero-dose children.

She said the aim is to increase the rate of vaccinated children by 50 per cent each year and by 30 per cent by 2025.

“To achieve this in Nigeria, UNICEF, together with the government and other partners, has prioritised 100 local government areas across 18 states with the highest concentration of those zero-dose children who need us.

“They need us right now, and we need you, the media, to join hands to accelerate the rate of immunisation in Nigeria to ensure that each year we increase the rate of vaccinated children by 50 per cent.

“This cannot be done without you. Please join hands with us today to ensure that we can leverage your influence.”

Lafoucriere also appealed to the media to assist UNICEF in sensitising Nigerians on the importance of vaccines.

“Your influence is very important. You can catalyse action, help dispel rumours, and combat misinformation about vaccines.

“By working collectively, we can build a resilient health system capable of reaching each and every child, leaving no one behind.

“No matter where they live, we must ensure that no child in Nigeria suffers from preventable diseases.”

Also speaking, Dr. Adeniyi Adebayo, Assistant Immunisation Programme Officer (LSPHCB), emphasised the need for every child to be fully immunised.

Adebayo, who noted that vaccines form the bedrock of economic development, said zero-dose children were those who had not been immunised from birth.

He said children in that category are prone to diseases and infections.

Adebayo also said that under-immunised children are those whose immunisations were not completed.

He added that all vaccines and immunisations in the country are free, urging parents to take advantage of the opportunity to get their children immunised from birth.

Adebayo, however, identified infrastructural deficits as part of the challenges confronting immunisation coverage in some parts of the country.